Memory Test Online
How many digits can you hold in your head? Watch a sequence, repeat it, and the next one gets longer. Choose numbers in order, numbers backwards for a working memory test, or a sequence of cells on a grid.
Digits appear one at a time. Then type them in the same order.
Each correct answer adds one more digit. You get two tries at every length; the test ends after two misses in a row. Your best span is saved on this device.
What this memory test measures
The test measures your memory span: the longest sequence you can repeat correctly right after seeing it. Span tasks are among the oldest tools in psychology; the digit span is part of many standard cognitive assessments, and the grid version follows the idea of the Corsi block-tapping task.
| Mode | What it tests | Typical adult span |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers | Short-term memory: hold the digits and repeat them | about 6–8 digits |
| Numbers backwards | Working memory: hold the digits and rearrange them | about 4–6 digits |
| Grid sequence | Visual memory for positions and their order | about 5–7 positions |
How the test works
- 1
Pick a mode
Numbers, numbers backwards or grid sequence, then press Start.
- 2
Watch
Digits appear one at a time; on the grid, cells light up one after another.
- 3
Repeat
Type the digits (in reverse order for the backwards mode) or tap the cells in the same order.
- 4
Go longer
Each correct answer adds one item. Miss, and you get a second try at the same length.
- 5
Get your span
Two misses in a row end the test. Your score is the longest sequence you repeated correctly.
What your score means
7 ± 2
Miller's classic estimate of digits in order
3–5
chunks held at once, by later research
5–6
blocks on the Corsi task in healthy adults
For decades the reference point was George Miller's “seven, plus or minus two”, and most adults do repeat about 6 to 8 digits in order. Later research suggests the true limit is closer to 3 to 5 chunks, and that we reach seven by rehearsing digits and grouping them, for example hearing 4-7-1-9 as “forty-seven, nineteen”.
Backwards spans are usually one to three items shorter, because reordering takes some of your capacity. Visual sequence spans sit a little below digit spans.
Tips for remembering longer sequences
- 1
Chunk the digits
Group them into pairs or triples as they appear. Six digits become three two-digit numbers.
- 2
Say them in your head
Repeating the sequence silently in a rhythm keeps it fresh until you answer.
- 3
Trace a shape on the grid
Instead of single cells, see the path they make: a line, a zigzag, a corner.
- 4
For backwards, build as you go
Put each new digit in front of the ones you have, so the reversed order is ready at the end.
Can you train your memory span?
≈ 7 → 80
digits: one student's span after 200+ hours of practice
≈ 6
letters: his span for letters stayed where it was
In a well-known study, the student turned groups of digits into running times he already knew. His digit span soared; his letter span didn't move. That pattern shows up again and again in brain-training research: gains are real but mostly specific to what you trained.
Myth
There is a test for photographic memory.
What research says
There is little evidence that adults have truly photographic memory. People with exceptional memory almost always rely on practiced strategies.
For another angle on attention, try the Schulte table, or test how well you ignore distractions with the Stroop test. Curious whether games help at all? Read whether brain games improve memory.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good score on a memory test like this?
Most adults repeat about 6 to 8 digits in order and about 4 to 6 backwards. On the grid sequence, about 5 to 7 positions is typical. Your score moves with sleep, stress and attention, so take it a few times and look at your usual result rather than a single run.
What is the difference between short-term memory and working memory?
Short-term memory holds information for a few seconds, like a phone number you just heard. Working memory also lets you do something with it: reorder it, combine it or calculate with it. Repeating digits in order leans on short-term memory; repeating them backwards needs working memory.
Is there a test for photographic memory?
Not really, because there is little evidence that adults have truly photographic memory. Vivid, picture-like recall (eidetic imagery) has been reported in a small number of children and is rare to absent in adults. People with exceptional memory almost always rely on practiced strategies, not a mental camera.
Can I improve my memory span?
With practice and a strategy, yes, but mostly for the material you practiced. In a famous study, a student trained for over 200 hours and raised his digit span from about 7 to about 80 by grouping digits into running times he knew, yet his memory for letters stayed at the usual 6 or so.
Can this test tell me if I have a memory problem?
No. It is a quick exercise for curiosity and practice, not a medical test, and a low score on one day means very little. If you or someone close to you is worried about memory changes, talk to a doctor, who can use validated assessments.
Why do I do better with numbers than with the grid?
Digits are easy to say to yourself, so you can rehearse them in your head. Positions on a grid are harder to put into words and rely more on visual and spatial memory. Many people are noticeably better at one than the other.
Try next
Read a short text, answer three questions, get your words per minute.
Reaction Time TestClick when the screen turns green. Five tries, average in milliseconds.
Schulte TableFind the numbers 1 to 25 in order. A classic attention and visual search drill.
Stroop TestName the ink color, not the word. Measure your own Stroop effect.
Train your memory a few minutes a day
Brainura has memory games like Card Match and Mind Matrix that grow with you, level by level, alongside 24 more short games for attention, speed and logic. No ads.
Free to install · no ads · no account needed
Sources
- Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63(2), 81–97.
- Cowan, N. (2001). The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24(1), 87–114.
- Kessels, R. P. C., van Zandvoort, M. J. E., Postma, A., Kappelle, L. J., & de Haan, E. H. F. (2000). The Corsi Block-Tapping Task: Standardization and normative data. Applied Neuropsychology, 7(4), 252–258.
- Ericsson, K. A., Chase, W. G., & Faloon, S. (1980). Acquisition of a memory skill. Science, 208(4448), 1181–1182.
- Simons, D. J., et al. (2016). Do “brain-training” programs work? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(3), 103–186.